Interconnecting coupling device for electrolysis cells



H. PERABO July 1, 1969 INTERCONNECTING COUPLING DEVICE FOR ELECTROLYSIS CELLS Filed Jan. 20. 1967 HM w fi i xtuws FIGJ FIG. 2

United States Patent 1 Int. (:1. 130m 3/00 U.S. Cl. 204-279 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention concerns an interconnecting device intended to form part of an anode-cathode coupling device for a group of at least two electrolysis cells connected in series, and comprising a flexible conducting connection having one of its extremities electrically connected to and rigidly fixed on the cathode unit of a first cell, while the other extremity is provided with a first contact held by the effect of adequate mechanical pressure means against a second contact fixed on the removable anode assembly of a second cell connected in series with the first cell. The device further comprises means for shortcircuiting the cell before removal of the anode assembly.

The present invention relates to an anode-cathode interconnection device or coupling device for electrolysis cells, connected in series so as to permit the use of the direct-current supply under the best possible economic conditions.

The devices known up to the present time for carrying out the electrical connection between electrolysis cells presuppose the use of conductive bus-bars, for example of copper or aluminium, assembled together by means of bolts, these bars joining together the cathode assembly of one cell to the anode assembly of the next following cell.

Now, during the industrial working of electrolysis cells, it is necessary, at intervals of time more or less spaced apart, to open certain cells for overhaul, cleaning or replacement of used anodes.

Furthermore, the expansion undergone by the electrochemical industry necessitates cells of constantly increasing power, and for this reason, a greater number of conductive connecting bars and in consequence an increase in the number of assembly bolts. In these circumstances, the opening of a cell provided with such an interconnection device results in long and costly operations.

In addition, during the mounting of the cells, it is essential to observe an accurate dimension between the axes of the cells so as to permit the fixing of the rigid conducting bars, which are generally pre-fabricated, which thus increases the difliculties of mounting.

The present invention has for its object to remedy the disadvantages referred to above.

It provides in fact a simple interconnection device which is adaptable to almost all the usual types of electrolysis cells and facilitates the mounting of these cells by reason of the flexibility of its possible utilisation.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an interconnection device in which the electrical efficiency of the coupling obtained is high, due to the low voltage drops present in the said coupling.

In addition, the opening of the cells for the replacement of anodes, cleaning, operations of overhaul, or again for the localisation of faults in the event of a general shut-down of the installation, is made easier and much more rapid due to the elimination of the conducting coupling bars and the numerous assembly bolts.

The anode-cathode interconnection coupling device ac- 3,453,198 Patented July 1, 1969 cording to the invention is essentially characterised by the fact that it is constituted by a conducting flexible connection, of which one extremity is coupled in a fixed manner to the cathode assembly of a cell, while on the other extremity is fixed a first contact maintained with suflicient mechanical pressure, by appropriate means, against a second contact rigidly fixed to the removable anode assembly of the next following cell.

In accordance with other characteristic features:

The two contacts being only applied one against the other, the mechanical coupling between the cathode assembly of a cell and the anode assembly of the next following cell is interrupted at the level of these contacts by simply withdrawing the removable anode assembly, the cell having been previously short-circuited by means of a short-circuiting device with the object of preventing the stoppage of the other cells of the series installed.

The anode-cathode coupling device and the short-circuiting device are arranged on a common support.

A locking device associated with the short-circuiting device only permits the removable anode assembly to be lifted when the corresponding cell is effectively shortcircuited.

The contacts are made of a highly conducting metal and make it possible to obtain a minimum voltage drop.

The anode-cathode interconnection between two consecutive electrolysis cells is effected by a number of coupling devices according to the invention, the number of these devices being a function of the output of these cells:

The interconnected electrolysis cells coupled by means of the device according to the invention are of the type in which the anodes are fed by means of distribution bars and/or by means of a cover associated with the cell, the body of the cell itself being conducting or non-conducting.

Other advantages and characteristic features of the present invention will be brought out below in the description which follows, reference being made to the accompanying drawings. For the sake of clearness of the description, a preferred form of construction of the interconnection device according to the invention has been chosen as applied to cells for which the supply to the anodes is effected through the intermediary of metal distribution bars fixed on the cover of each cell, and for which the body of each cell is a conductor and constitutes the cathode.

FIG 1 shows in partial diagrammatic section a preferred form of construction of the interconnection device or coupling device according to the invention and its mounting between two cells of the above type.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view on a larger scale of the anode-cathode interconnection coupling device, indicated generally by the reference I and electrically connecting the cathode of the cell C (not shown) to the anode assembly A of a cell C Referring to these drawings, the device I comprises a flexible connection 1 in conducting metal, for example of copper or aluminium in the form of braid or strip. One extremity of the connection is electrically connected ice to the cathode of negative potential of the cell C A contact 2 is fixed on the other extremity of the connection 1, for example by welding, and is brought against a contact 3 which is fixed to a supply bar 4 of the anodes at a positive potential.

The bar 4 is in turn supported by the cover 5 of the cell C The pressure between the contacts 2 and 3 is obtained in this case by means of a spring 6 enclosed in a housing 7 which is fixed on the body of the cell with the interposition of an insulating plate 8.

The accompanying drawings clearly illustrate the fact that in order to open the cell, lifting the cover is the only operation remaining necessary by virtue of the interconnection coupling device according to the invention.

Finally, this coupling device according to the invention has been subjected to extensive tests which have shown that the voltage drop between the fixed and moving contacts remains less than 10 mv.

It will of course be under stood that the present invention has been described and illustrated purely by way of explanation and without any limitative sense, and that any alternative form may be given thereto without departing from its scope.

I claim:

1. An interconnection device intended for coupling together respectively the anode and cathode assemblies of at least two electrolysis cells connected in series, said interconnection device comprising:

a flexible electrical connection means having a first extremity rigidly fixed to and in contact with the cathode assembly of a first cell and a second extremity provided with a first contact;

a second contact rigidly fixed to the removable anode assembly of a second cell connected electrically in series with said first cell;

elastic pressure means intended to apply said two contacts against each other with adequate mechanical pressure;

short-circuiting means associated with each cell;

whereby, without causing interruption of the supply of the other cells in series of the installation, the mechanical coupling between the cathode assembly of a first cell and the anode 4 assembly of the next following cell can be interrupted at the level of said contacts by displacement of said removable anode assembly of the corresponding cell short-circuited by means of said short-circuiting device.

2. An interconnection device as claimed in claim 1, in which said mechanical pressure means are constituted by a compression spring arranged in a housing fixed to the body of the corresponding cell.

3. An interconnection device as claimed in claim 1, in which there is associated with said short-circuiting means a locking means which only permits the Withdrawal of the removable anode assembly from said corresponding cell when said cell has been effectively short-circuited.

4. An interconnection device as claimed in claim 1, in which said two contacts are made of metals of high electrical conductivity and resistant to high temperatures.

5. An interconnection device as claimed in claim 1, in which said flexible connection means is constituted by a braiding of good conducting metal.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,447,547 8/1948 Stuart 204-266 2,958,635 11/1960 De Nora 204-279 2,987,463 6/1961 Baker et al 204266 2,998,374 8/1961 Granfors 204279 JOHN H. MACK, Primary Examiner.

D. R. JORDAN, Assistant Examiner. 

